New News in Ag, Construction, and Forestry
As a provider of off-highway tires to the construction, forestry and agriculture industries, we're always on the lookout for great news and insights from the media and the blogosphere. Here are some stories from this past week that caught our attention:
- The first major story is actually from us -- This week our company inaugurated a new 54,000 ton-per-year factory in Dahej in the Indian state of Gujarat. As reported by the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association, the $150 million plant will produce off-highway tires for the global market. Great news for our customers in North America -- more supply of leading edge products like our Alliance 331 flotation tires!
- New technologies for extracting oil from three vast shale fields in the U.S. have been a boon to the U.S. economy and suppliers, including off-highway tire dealers. The party is far from over but the drastic drop in worldwide crude oil prices is having a negative effect. In a story in World Oil, Genscape says rig counts nationwide are poised to decrease by nearly 600 in the next six months. The Bakken region in North Dakota is being particularly hard hit.
- For all of you tire dealers who supply the oil industry, don't fret though; this other story in World Oil says U.S. energy producers plan to pump more crude in 2015 as declining equipment costs and enhanced drilling techniques are more than offsetting the collapse in oil markets.
- A blog by the Forestry Business Network reports that it is a good time for building with wood products as more architects and contractors are returning to this renewable, sturdy, all-purpose material.
- The men and women who own and operate our country's farms and ranches are increasingly diverse. Read this blog by the USDA about how the agency is helping to address this growing trend.
- Now for some light reading as we all prepare to launch fully into the holiday season. This blog post from the USDA provides some interesting background on the ubiquitous holiday decoration, the poinsettia.
Feel free to add your commentary on these or any other breaking topics in the comments section below.
